Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?

Yu Wenquan asked, "Princess Qin, did you write this?"

Shang Ruyi raised her head and solemnly replied, "Reported to Father Emperor, the handwriting indeed resembles mine, but I have never written what’s on this and certainly never passed it to Sun Xianyue. Someone must have forged my handwriting to commit this unlawful act!"

Yu Wenquan asked, "Then, who in the palace has had your handwritten notes?"

"Well—"

Shang Ruyi bit her lip and had to say, "No one in the palace has obtained my handwritten notes. However, in the past two days, I’ve been practicing calligraphy in Qianqiu Palace to calm myself. There are quite a few manuscripts. Just now, when I was tidying things up, I found that someone had stolen one of my written pages."

"Just discovered?"

"Yes."

At this point, Shang Ruyi’s own breath also became unstable. Everything was too unexpected. Even though she sensed that Sun Xianyue’s appearance was suspicious from the start, she had no idea there would be so many traps around her, and even more unexpected was that everything would explode tonight.

Her defense, even as she heard it herself, felt so powerless.

Yu Wenquan asked, "Is there anyone who can prove it?"

"I—"

Shang Ruyi wanted to say something but whatever she said seemed powerless.

At this moment, she could only blame herself for being muddle-headed recently. Even though she had sensed Sun Xianyue’s suspicious behavior, she hadn’t immediately noticed the anomalies around her.

Just as she was speechless and seemed unable to respond, Han Yuhui suddenly sighed deeply and said, "Princess Qin, although you and Chu Yang have some acquaintance, even in Jiangdu Palace with him... But now you are already Princess Qin, and even the mother of the Young Master. Even if Sun Xianyue resembles Chu Yang, you shouldn’t do such things!"

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi’s face sank.

Han Yuhui’s words aren’t long, yet they hold multiple daggers. Her time spent alone with Chu Yang in Jiangdu Palace, although clarified at the Dayan Temple assembly, was too long to completely erase that suspicion from people’s hearts. And Sun Xianyue’s sword dance resembled Chu Yang, her slight "impropriety" at Bai Fu Hall last night, along with Yu Mingyue’s deliberate words, had long evoked Yu Wenquan’s suspicion.

More importantly, Han Yuhui mentioned her identity, Princess to King Qin, mother to Little Yuan Qian.

If she truly harbored feelings for Chu Yang, reminisced for him incessantly, and even took the opportunity when King Qin went on an expedition to secretly meet someone resembling him at night, how could such a person be fitting to be Princess Qin? How could she be fitting to be Yu Wen Yuanqian’s mother?!

This statement is truly wounding to the heart!

At this moment, although knowing further defense would be powerless, Shang Ruyi had to speak but she did not confront Han Yuhui directly, instead asking Sun Xianyue, "Sun Xianyue, I ask you, have you entered Qianqiu Palace tonight and met me?"

Sun Xianyue immediately replied, "No!"

As he spoke, he seemed to awaken and hurriedly turned to Yu Wenquan, "Emperor, although I received that sheet, and did indeed sneak out of the imperial court, I felt fear halfway and didn’t really go to Qianqiu Palace but returned halfway. They caught me at the Inner Court Imperial Garden."

Upon hearing this, Yu Wenquan looked up, and the Imperial Guard responsible for the night patrol immediately said, "Yes, Minister caught him near Wangyun Pavilion while patrolling the Inner Court."

Shang Ruyi immediately addressed Han Yuhui, "Since he didn’t come to Qianqiu Palace, how can you say I secretly met with him?!"

Han Yuhui did not argue but turned to Sun Xianyue, "Did you really not go?"

Sun Xianyue replied, "I didn’t go!"

Han Yuhui slightly raised her brow, thoughtful, "Could it be that Wen Ying made a mistake?"

Shang Ruyi frowned.

Yu Wenquan ordered, "Summon the person."

Han Yuhui replied, "Yes."

She immediately sent someone, quickly bringing a young palace maid, probably sixteen or seventeen, the one who had been beside her all night, trembling fearfully, kneeling before the Emperor, too scared to lift her head.

Yu Wenquan asked, "Are you Wen Ying?"

Wen Ying replied softly, "Slave Wen Ying."

"Tell us, what did you see tonight at Qianqiu Palace?"

"..."

Kneeling on the ground, Wen Ying trembled all over, hearing this she lifted her head to glance at Han Yuhui, who calmly said, "Speak the truth without lying before the Emperor."

Upon hearing this, Wen Ying went even paler and hurriedly lowered her head.

Yu Wenquan’s face grew more grim, "What did you actually see? Speak."

Wen Ying replied softly, "Slave saw at the back courtyard of Qianqiu Palace, it seemed a man climbed out from the wall..."

Yu Wenquan pointed at Sun Xianyue, "Was it him?"

Wen Ying glanced up hastily and immediately lowered her head, "It was too dark, and Slave merely saw a silhouette, not clearly seeing who it was. Please forgive me, Emperor."

"..."

Yu Wenquan paused silently and commanded, "Leave!"

Wen Ying kowtowed, immediately standing and retreating.

Shang Ruyi immediately said, "Father Emperor, this palace maid said she didn’t see clearly, besides, it was so dark, the back courtyard of Qianqiu Palace is full of pines. Perhaps it was just shadows."

"..."

"Ultimately, there’s no evidence proving Sun Xianyue was at Qianqiu Palace, nor can anyone prove he privately met with me!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Wenquan’s demeanor shifted heavily.

He seemed to ponder this issue.

Yet at this moment, Shang Ruyi sensed that Han Yuhui, who had been aggressive, suddenly quieted down, but her silence seemed not out of speechlessness, but waiting.

Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi glanced at her.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and Yu Wenquan nodded. Eunuch Yu went out, and a low voice spoke outside.

Soon, Eunuch Yu returned inside.

He approached Yu Wenquan and whispered, "Emperor, the Imperial Guard found this at the corner of the wall inside the back courtyard of Qianqiu Palace."

Saying this, he presented a torn piece of fabric before him.

It was a piece of gray-black cloth. Shang Ruyi immediately recognized the color and turned towards Sun Xianyue. He seemed to realize suddenly and looked down at his feet.

Meanwhile, everyone in the hall almost instantly saw where the torn fabric came from, focusing their gazes on him.

Indeed, his garments hanging at his feet had a piece torn off!